It’s hard to keep up with all the research on what makes a healthy diet. Fortunately, Dr. Fernando Gómez-Pinilla, professor of neurosurgery and physiology at UCLA, has done a lot of it for us.

In a recent article in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Gómez-Pinilla analyzed findings from more than 160 scientifically-sound studies of neurology-related nutrition.

“Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain,” he observes, with two types of dietary elements emerging as especially beneficial: phytochemicals such as the polyphenols, most abundant in colorful fruits and vegetables; and the omega-3 fats found in walnuts, avocados, and, famously, salmon.

Blueberries, for example, can reverse age-related memory defects, while a diet rich in golden turmeric may help to explain why India has a low incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Omega-3 fatty acids nourish memory and learning, too, and decrease the risk of conditions like ADS, depression, and bipolar-disorder.

The polyphenols and omega-3s are antioxidants that protect the vulnerable brain from oxidative stress and inflammation; they are probably most effective when combined in the diet.

On the other hand, warns Gómez-Pinilla, eating lots of the trans- and saturated fats available on the menu in junk-food restaurants and ritzy steak houses alike can diminish cognitive ability.

Definitely something to think about.